This is my first time posting on CGTalk, as well as my first time doing any modeling that is game related. So, a lot of firsts today :) I've been lurking for a bit, and I've read a lot about tris and all kinds of other techniques on this site, though sometimes they get confusing. So I figured the best way to understand and improve was to finally post some work I've been doing lately and let everyone rip it to pieces. :D

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/DavionShores/TankWIP2.jpg

Just a note: I was trying to keep it pretty low poly as I'm probably going to use bump maps and other mapping techniques to make it more detailed then the model really is, I just really wanted a clean low poly model.

So, if there's any advice on how I can make it cleaner, or if there is anything you see wrong with it please critique.

Just a few questions that come to mind as well:

1. Is it wise to leave the parts you want animated to be seperate from the rest of the mesh in this case? Is that even good to do in any case?

2. How does animation actually work for game models? Do I just say, animate the turret moving and then export it to the required format? I'm not really sure how this works as I might need to animate it later.

3. On animation still, are there ways in Maya (I'm using 6.01 right now) to do several animations and export them all into one file on export?

If anyone can answer these it'd be appreciated :)

And it'd also be appreciated if you give me some feedback on my model thus far.

Thanks for your time...

Por@szek

11-03-2005, 08:23 AM

Hi

At first welcome on the forum.

The modelling looks pretty ok. Use of poly are good as for "real" low poly. But details u pu have too much polies. This cylinder U put on the top ... can be made on the texture . This cannons can be also optimized. They have to many segments it's the first. If U want to keep really low polycount change segments for number of 5 or (looking from front - I'll try to explain this the best I can) the first segment of polies leave as 6 sides, and after this collapse them to 3 - 4 sides. Next segments (creating the last part of cannon) can have - structure the same as in the beginning of the cannon, but delete this polies which arn't visible (are closely to other, or the eventually playaer doesn't have the oportunity to see them - like in the games using camera angle between 60-90 degrees, objects - buildings for example, have deleted every poly from the bottom -> |_| (this is a box - lol ) and in game they have something like this | |.

The last thing on this smaller canons are this useless segments in the center of canon.

The next tris U could optimize - in the front of the cannon, on the polies which simulate the hole in the canon from where the bullet goes - snap this vertex on the center and move to some of vertex on the edge of it (hope U catch what I mean).

U can remove those polies creating holes on the back on on the front beneath the main, top canonn. Pain this on the texture.

At the moment I think its enough to correct. Later we will see :] Now the questions :

1) Mostly U must have in objects like this, separete elements of the geometry. If U will separete them, correct the pivot to be in the center and, for example rotate easly. Then U will make the key frame animation. Bones in this case are useless couse they takes some memory whithout a reason. In most not organic elements are using separeting elements like wheels, doors or else.
2) A lot depends from engine. In some U must make all the animations separatly, in other in one file only put on into an engine numbers of frames with correct animation. Little tips, make the animations tillable -> it will be easier and more pretty in the engine.
3) Sorry - I'm not maya user.

Hope it helps a bit.

Take care.

TheZer0

11-03-2005, 11:37 AM

Thanks for the welcome, and the advice. :) I'll work on optimizing the cannons like you've stated and try and delete some stuff that won't necessarily be viewed by the player.

LeeLee D

11-03-2005, 05:35 PM

Reminds me of Tribes 2 <3

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